Return To Me
by Twilight-Imp-626
Summary: After Katsumi was disappeared, Yoshitaka was shattered. Now, several years later, a strange genetics facility has been discovered... YoshitakaKatsumi Based on the YAOI manga 'Freezing Flame,' slight Maximum Ride crossover.
1. Lost Hope

_**Return To Me**_

_I fell in love with the yaoi manga _Freezing Flame _some time ago, and I finally decided to write a fic for it. This is kind of a crossover with the _Maximum Ride _series by James Patterson, but only a little bit. Hope you enjoy!_

_**Disclaimer**__: I don't own _Freezing Flame_ or _Maximum Ride_. If I owned them, I'd be rich._

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**Chapter 1**

Gentle, teasing touches.

A shaky exhalation of breath.

Yoshitaka felt his lover's fingers gliding over the bare skin of his chest, caressing the sensitive areas they both knew so well.

_This isn't a half-bad way to wake up, _he thought amusedly.

Suddenly, his left nipple was given a sharp tweak. He hissed, squeezing his eyes shut even tighter.

"Katsumi," he said in a wavering voice. "What are you doing?"

The other man giggled softly. "Trying to wake you up," he replied, his voice somehow innocent and sultry at the same time.

Yoshitaka opened his mouth to reply, but all that came out was a low moan as Katsumi began licking and nipping his chest, gradually moving lower and lower. The older man could feel the smirk on his lover's face as he nuzzled his stomach, placing soft, lingering kisses on the quivering muscles.

"Yoshitaka," he began softly, his tongue dipping into the older man's belly button. "I need you to do something for me."

His lover bit his lip to contain the embarrassing noises that threatened to spill forth as Katsumi's tongue slid just under the waistband of his boxers. "Anything!" he choked out.

"I need you to wake up…"

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Yoshitaka's eyes snapped open as she shot into a sitting position, the sweat-soaked sheets pooling around his waist. He looked around, eyes wide and searching.

"Katsumi?" he called into the darkness. "Katsumi, where are y-"

He cut himself off as his heart contracted painfully.

Katsumi wasn't there.

Katsumi hadn't been there in years…

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_*3 Years Before*_

Katsumi let out a sigh of relief as he packed away the last contract. It had been a long day, and all the young man wanted was to go home, take a shower, and sleep. Even spending some _quality time_ with Yoshitaka sounded too strenuous. He knew his lover would understand, though. After the incident with Prince Sheriku, the man had become less controlling and more sensitive. It had helped smooth out the remaining wrinkles in their relationship, something that eased some of the weight off both of their shoulders.

Katsumi picked up his briefcase and walked out of his office, making sure the door was locked behind him. As he stepped into the elevator, his phone began to ring. He smiles as he reached into his pocket and pulled it out. He didn't even bother checking the caller ID before flipping it open.

"I'm leaving work now," he said into the receiver.

"_**Took you long enough. I thought you were planning on sleeping there tonight.**_"

The younger man laughed. "No, it's too cold here. I think I prefer your house.

There was a brief pause on the other end. "_**Are you alright?**_"

Katsumi nodded, and then realized that his lover couldn't see him through the phone. "Yeah, 'm fine. Just tired. Work was a bitch today."

"_**You have the day off tomorrow, right?**_"

"Yeah."

"_**Well, you can sleep in then. You haven't had a full day off in a while, so why not enjoy it?**_"

The elevator pinged as it reached the ground floor, the doors sliding open to reveal the lobby. "We can both enjoy it," Katsumi replied. He blushed a little, knowing the implications of what he'd just said.

"_**I'm going to hold you to that,**_" Yoshitaka said with a chuckle. "_**So, how long should it take you to get here?**_"

"It should only take me twenty minutes, if traffic isn't bad," he said as he pushed through the revolving doors and stepped into the cool night air. "I'm leaving the building right now."

As he passed a small alleyway next to the building, someone grabbed him by the collar and hauled him into it. Katsumi let out a cry of surprise.

"_**Katsumi? Katsumi, what's going on?**_"

Before Katsumi had a chance to reply, a cloth was pressed over his mouth and nose. He inhaled sharply, struggling to get away as he started to get dizzy. His cell phone and briefcase hit the ground, the former still emitting Yoshitaka's now worried voice. Everything started to get blurry. Katsumi felt himself fall into a pair of muscular arms as it all went black.

_**_

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That had been the last time Yoshitaka- or anyone, for that matter- had heard from Katsumi. He had rushed out of the house when the other phone went dead. When he reached the building, all he could find was the shattered remains of Katsumi's cell phone and brief case. He had dropped to his knees, numbly dialing the number for the police station and stammering a quick account of what had happened.

The weeks that had followed had been hell. The police had scoured the city for any hint of Katsumi's whereabouts, leaving no stone unturned, no door unopened. Yoshitaka barely slept. He could barely stand being without his lover, no matter how short or how long the period of time. The few hours of sleep he did manage to grab each week were always in his office; sleeping in his bed without Katsumi's warm body beside him was unbearable. The house itself was seemed empty and lonely now. Eiji and Helena stopped by when they could, as did Wakabayashi, all trying to keep his hopes up.

But several months later, the police called off the search, and Yoshitaka truly despaired. Eiji took over the company, though he kept saying it was only until his brother recovered. Yoshitaka became a mere shadow of the man he had once been. He drank almost constantly for the first few months, until he got tired of the paternal, condescending way people used to talk to him when he was drunk. He didn't bother even going to the office; it was a pointless venture when his emotions rendered him useless.

He had contemplated suicide. Twice, Wakabayashi walked in on him about to slash his wrists with a kitchen knife. The first time, the man had grabbed the knife, thrown it to the floor, and started shaking him by the shoulders, screaming in his face about how much of an idiot he was being. The second time, Wakabayashi had just glared at him coldly.

"Katsumi was never this weak," he had said simply.

Yoshitaka had been reduced to tears.

Now, years later, the pain still hadn't lessened. Dreams of Katsumi still came to him every night, keeping the wound in his heart open and bleeding. Even now, as he stared at his empty hands, he felt like he was being stabbed repeatedly. When he had lost Katsumi, he hadn't just lost a lover.

He had lost part of his soul.

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Cold.

It was always cold.

And dark, too. Light only heralded pain and death. Dark was good.

Hope.

There had been hope, long, long ago. Days? Weeks? More like centuries.

Hope belonged in the past.

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_I know! The emoness is running rampant in this chapter, but I promise it will get better!_


	2. Hope's Rebirth

_**Return To Me**_

_This chapter and the next will get more into the reason this is a crossover with _Maximum Ride_._

_**Disclaimer**__: Not mine, 'kay? 'Kay._

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**Chapter 2**

Yoshitaka stared blankly at the flickering television screen. There was some kind of special news report on. A plane had crashed on its way across the Atlantic Ocean from America, and around one hundred people had been killed. Yoshitaka didn't even blink. What were a few dozen deaths when your own world had died long ago? He had grown tired of the reporter's nasaly voice half an hour ago, so the sound had been muted. His stomach rumbled, and though he knew it would probably just get thrown up later after another dream about Katsumi, he went into the kitchen to make himself something to eat.

As soon as he passed through the doorway, a picture of Katsumi appeared on the television screen.

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Light.

So much light.

And voices. Shouting, screaming, angry, panicked.

Men in black uniforms and shielded helmets dragged the whitecoats away.

Then there was a new voice. Soft, feminine, almost soothing. Promises of help, food, warmth, light, and home.

_Home_.

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Eiji raced down the street to his brother's house, ignoring stop signs and speed limits. He only pressed his foot on the brake when the house came into view, barely managing to swing into the driveway. He didn't even bother taking the key out of the ignition before throwing the car door open and sprinting up the sidewalk. Without knocking, he threw open the front door, looked around quickly, and ran into the kitchen, skiding on the tiles as he tried to stop. Yoshitaka was sitting at the table, picking at a bowl of unseasoned noodles. He looked up, a bit of curiosity leaking into his eyes.

"Eiji, what-"

"They found Katsumi!" the younger man blurted out.

Yoshitaka's chopsticks clattered as they hit the table. "W-What?" he whispered, his face revealing just how shocked he was. He had gotten his hopes up several times in the past, only to have them shattered, and he didn't think he could handle it again.

Eiji grabbed his brother's shoulders, his own hands trembling. "The police just called the office looking for you! _They know where Katsumi is_!"

Yoshitaka couldn't move, couldn't breathe. Katsumi was _alive_. Already, he could feel the hole in his heart closing, but he knew it wouldn't heal completely until the other man was back in his arms. "What are we waiting for?! Let's go!" He knocked over his chair as he stood up.

Before he could run out the door, Eiji stopped him. "You should clean yourself up first," the shorter man said, scrunching up his nose. "When was the last time you took a shower?"

"How can you even think about that at a time like this?!" he demanded, dark eyes burning with passion.

"You've both waited for each other for a long time, Yo-chan," Eiji said softly, smiling. "I don't think a few more minutes won't make a difference."

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Yoshitaka tapped the cold, metal table with his fingers. The light in the room was dim, and the atmosphere was tense. Even the slightest movement seemed awkward. Eiji had driven like a mad man to get to the police station as fast as possible. Yoshitaka called Wakabayashi, who he hadn't talked to in months, telling him to meet them there. Now, they all sat in the little room, waiting.

Finally, the door opened and a man in a police uniform walked in, holding a thick manilla envelope.

Yoshitaka stood up. "Where is Katsumi?"

"Please sit down, Mimuro-san," the man said as he took a seat of his own. "I assure you, Hirose-san is safe."

Yoshitaka didn't sit down until Eiji placed a gentle hand on his arm. Once he was seated again, the man opened the envelope and began pulling out several papers and two photographs. He pushed one of the pictures towards their end of the table. The all leaned forward, studying it curiously.

Wakabayashi spoke first. "What is it?"

"That," the officer said, "is University."

"It doesn't look like any college campus I've ever seen," Eiji told him.

"That's because it isn't a college. It may be called University, but it's actually a facility used for genetic experimentation. It was recently discovered in China, just after several similar facilities were brought to light in the United States. According to the files, and the rather substantial..." He hesistated for a moment. "..._evidence_ that was confiscated from the buildings, it has been discovered that these facilities have been responsible for most of the missing persons reports filed in the last decade. The victims range from infants to full grown adults."

"You said this facility performed genetic experiments," Eiji interjected. "What exactly did they do to the people they kidnapped?"

The officer hesitated again, looking down at some of the papers on the table in front of him. "From what we've gathered, they were attempting to create a race of superhumans- not like superheroes in comics books, mind you. Basically, they were fusing the DNA of their victims with that of animals, trying to create a perfect mix of both species' best traits." He picked up the other photo and passed it down. "As you can see, things didn't always go as planned."

Yoshitaka got it first. He took one look at the picture and blanched. It showed a young child, around five years old, staring back at the camera with frightened eyes. There were strange, pincer-like growths on his face. His left arm was withered, and appeared to be covered in fur. His legs were just skin and bones, and were covered in dark bruises. Yoshitaka passed it to his brother, and saw the look of horror mirrored on his face.

"Is-" He stopped, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Is Katsumi...?"

"Actually, our contact at University says that Hirose-san appears to be one of the successful experiments." If the officer noticed that Yoshitaka bristled when Katsumi was referred to as an experiment, he didn't show it. "Apart from a few minor physical alterations, he is bodily sound."

Wakabayashi let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God for small miracles," he laughed, taking off his glasses and rubbing a hand over his eyes.

"Where is he?" Yoshitaka asked impatiently.

"Hirose-san is currently still at University, along with several others. We have a private jet set up to take you three and some of the children's parents over to the mainland in about an hour, so you can bring Hirose-san home yourself."

Yoshitaka's heart lept.

Katsumi was coming home.

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_See? Crazy genetic experiments like in the _Maximum Ride _world! Yay!_


	3. What They Have Done

_**Return To Me**_

_We're finally gonna get to see Katsumi! Yay! Yoshitaka is happy, too, but he's all 'grararar I'm gonna be grumpy and keep my real feelings inside' lol. Not really. I've got him acting a little OOC in this chapter, but if someone was reunited with their spouse/significant other after thinking they were dead, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't act normal._

_**Disclaimer**__: I wish I owned little Eiji. He's adorable! But I own nothing *sobs in the corner*_

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**Chapter 3**

Five hours, one flight, and two car rides later, the three men finally arrived at University. Yoshitaka scowled darkly at the gloomy, grey building. The people who had built this accursed place had taken Katsumi away from him. They had kept him in this dark place for three years, doing God knows what to him. His hands curled into fists, fingernails cutting into his palms.

The tension in the area was thick enough to cut enough to cut with a knife. Parents who hadn't seen their children in weeks, months, or even years, stood with arms around each other, hoping that their hearts wouldn't be broken by what they found. Everyone waited to see what had become of their loved ones.

The doors opened, and several people in white labcoats came out. There was an even mix of men and women, but they all had the same nervous expression on their faces.

The two groups stared at each other, shifting awkwardly and murmuring to each other. Finally, one of the women in labcoats stepped forward. She had short, red hair and thick, square-framed glasses.

"Um, I-I'm looking for a Yoshitaka Mimuro," she called in a soft, feminine voice.

Yoshitaka stepped forward, Wakabayashi and Eiji following close behind him as he approached her. They stopped when they were within arm's reach, staring her down.

"I'm, um, Mei Feng. I-I guess you can call me Katsumi's case worker." She offered her hand in greeting, looking put out when it was ignored. "So, you can all follow me, and I'll take you to him."

She walked back through the door she had come out of, glancing over her shoulder to make sure they were following her. For several minutes, they all walked in an uncomfortable silence. Mei finally broke it.

"I have to tell you about Katsumi's...condition. I guess that's the best word to use. As is the case with almost everyone who was taken here, he has some very severe scarring, and-"

"We were told that he was unharmed," Yoshitaka interrupted, his voice like ice.

Mei flinched, but pressed on. "W-Well, he's _physically fine_, but the scars I'm talking about are emotional and psychological. After the DNA combination was completed, each person was put through several very intense trials that tested agility, endurance, reaction time, etc. These were usually done on a daily basis. Combined with malnourishment and continued genetic alterations, these trials slowy broke the spirits of all but a few people. And, unfortunately, this includes Katsumi."

Yoshitaka stopped and glared at her. "You're wrong."

Mei turned around and looked at him, startled. "E-Excuse me?"

"I said, you're wrong," he spat. "I know how strong Katsumi is. His spirit _can't_ be broken. It would only happen if he died first."

Mei didn't reply this time. She just looked at him, her eyes filling with sorrow, and resumed walking. The others followed her, the tense silence returning ten-fold. When they reached the door at the end of the hallway, Mei quietly opened the door, ushering the men through it. Yoshitaka peered around the room, his gaze lingering on the large computers along one wall. In the middle of the room was something similar to the table in the conference room at the office. An extremely thin man was slumped over in one of the many chairs around the table. He wore a tattered, black t-shirt and a pair of worn out jeans that had holes in the knees. His light-brown hair hung just past his shoulders, and was matted and tangled. The strangest thing about him, however, was the pair of cat ears perched on the top of his head, and the furry brown tail that lay limp on the floor. One of the feline ears twitched as Mei shut the door again.

"Hey," she called softly. "Look who's here."

Slowly, the man lifted his head to stare at them, and Yoshitaka felt his breath catch.

It was Katsumi.

With a strangled cry, Yoshitaka surged forward, running to where Katsumi was sitting. He threw his arms around the other man and began to sob.

"You're _alive_!" he gasped through the tears. "You're _fucking alive_! I thought- I thought you were gone! I thought you were _dead_! _I thought I'd never see you again_!"

For several minutes, he just sat there, crying and clinging to his lover. As he started to calm down, he noticed that Katsumi was acting strange. He hadn't spoken, or shed a single tears.

In fact, he hadn't even moved.

Yoshitaka moved back so he could see Katsumi's face, and felt a lump rise in his throat. Everytime he had seen Katsumi before, the younger man had always given off a kind of inner light. But now, it was completely gone. Katsumi's skin was pale, and his cheeks were sunken. His once fiery eyes were now dull and lifeless, the pupils transformed into black, feline slits. They showed no pain, no fear, no joy, nor sadness, no recognition.

Nothing.

Yoshitaka brought one trembling hand up to cup the side of his lover's face. The only thing that proved Katsumi had even felt the contact was the slight twitch of one of his cat ears.

"What have they done to you?" Yoshitaka whispered, gently tracing one of the all too visible cheekbones with his thumb. "What have they done?"

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For the next half hour, Mei explained some of the specifics about what had happened to Katsumi. She skipped over most of the more painful details, but it was still horrible to hear. The constant pain the young man had been subjected to had left him shattered.

"He won't speak to anyone," Mei said sadly. "A lot of people have tried, even some of the other victims. He never moves unless one of us tells him to. And he won't fall asleep if one of our scientists is in the room. I think he's afraid to, though he doesn't really show any emotion at all."

Eiji listened, then found his gaze falling on his brother. Yoshitaka had managed to pull Katsumi into his lap, cradling him against his chest. One of his arms was wrapped around the smaller man's waist, while he ran the fingers of his free hand through Katsumi's tangled hair. Every so often, he would stop the gentle strokes, whisper something in one of Katsumi's human ears, wait for a response, then resume combing out the tangles when he got none. It broke Eiji's heart to see such a sight. After years of pain and loneliness, Yoshitaka had finally been reunited with the one person that he truly loved with all his heart. But with Katsumi in the mental state he was, Eiji couldn't see how much of a comfort he would be.

_They'll help each other_, he told himself stubbornly. _Just having Katsumi back at all is enough._

Eiji realized that Mei had kept talking while he had been spacing out. He quickly started listening again.

"-so you'll need to keep an eye out for any adverse effects brought on by post-traumatic stress disorder."

"We can already see the adverse effects," Wakabayashi stated coldly, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"I was actually talking about the possibility of further complications," Me replied. "There's a high chance that Katsumi's mind has blocked out the more painful memories. His behavior could become unpredictable if the memories resurface, so someone will need to be with him at all times."

Yoshitaka nodded, though his focus remained on Katsumi. He never would have believed that someone as strong-willed as Katsumi could ever be broken. Yet here he was, right in front of them all, shattered into a million tiny pieces. Yoshitaka tightened the arm that was wrapped around his lover's waist, watching as one of the cat ears flicked towards him. While it was only a small reaction, and seemed to be unconscious on Katsumi's part, it still gave the older man hope. If Katsumi was reacting in any way, it meant that he could still be reached. Yoshitaka was determined to help him recover.

There was a knock at the door, and a black-haired man stuck his head into the room. "Mei, Xiang says it's time to wrap it up." And he was gone.

Mei stood up abrubtly, smoothing the wrinkles in her coat with her hands. "Looks like I let time get away from me again!" she laughed. "Time to send you guys home."

Both of Katsumi's feline ears perked up, and his tail swished lazily. For the first time since Mei had brought the other men to the room, Katsumi looked directly at Yoshitaka, without any prompting from someone.

"Katsumi?" Yoshitaka asked hesitantly, stopping his hair-stroking again.

There was a brief flash of something in the depth of his eyes, but it disappeared in an instant. Though it was hard, Yoshitaka hid his disappointment.

"I guess we'd better get going, then," he said softly.

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_Emoooooooooooo! It was hard writing Katsumi acting all emotionless and broken and stuff. If you've read the manga, you'd know that Katsumi basically wears his heart on his sleeve, and is crazy stubborn when he wants to be. Anyway, please review!_


	4. Happy Eyes

_**Return To Me**_

_Next chapter! Yay!_

_**Disclaimer**__: Still don't own. Wish I owned something as awesome as _Maximum Ride _or _Freezing Flame_._

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**Chapter 4**

The plane trip back to Japan was just as stressful as the ride to China had been. On the first trip, everyone had been so tense and quiet, dreading what might await them at University. Now that the families had been reunited, the noise level was significantly higher. Several infants had started crying as soon as the plane roared to life. The parents' voices came next, soothing their distressed children. Several of the toddler and younger children had never been taught to talk while they had been imprisoned, and their families had decided that _now_ was the perfect time for speech lessons. Yoshitaka twitched as the woman behind him repeated 'Mama' for the umpteenth time. Katsumi was sitting in the seat beside him. His cat ears twitched in every direction, taking in every sound, but he still had the same blank look on his face. Yoshitaka, Wakabayashi, and Eiji had all attempted to draw him out of his silence and into a conversation, but to no avail.

"Hinako! Come back!"

A woman's loud cry made them all stop and look towards the back of the plane. A little girl was stumbling up the aisle. She stopped next to Yoshitaka's seat, steadying herself by holding onto the arm rest. She appeared to be fairly normal, but when Yoshitaka saw her almost luminescent-orange eyes, he shrank back instinctively.

"Hello!" she chirped brightly, blue curls bouncing as she spoke.

"Hello, little one," Wakabayashi replied hesitantly. "What's your name?"

"Lady who pick me up say me name Hinako," she told him, wrinkling her nose and frowning, "but everyone else call me Bee!"

"...Really?"

She nodded her head vigorously. "Can me sit with Katsumi-nii?"

Yoshitaka started to protest, but she was already crawling over his lap and onto Katsumi's, giggling. When she looked up into his face, however, her smile faded.

"Katsumi-nii, why you still got sad eyes?" she asked innocently. When he didn't answer, she turned to Yoshitaka. "Make Katsumi-nii have happy eyes again." Yoshitaka started to reply, but she kept talking. "When me meet Katsumi-nii, he talk 'bout Yoshi-something lots, and he have happy eyes. Then he stop talk one day, and eyes go sad more each day. Me miss Katsumi-nii talk. He try teach me talk, but not finish."

"I see..." he said slowly, staring at the little girl.

She grinned, opening her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted when a woman appeared in the aisle next to them.

"I'm so sorry, sirs," the woman said nervously, wringing her hands. "She got away from me, and I couldn't get my seatbelt off fast enough." She bowed quickly, before straightening up again. "Hinako, sweetie, come back to mommy."

The little girl scowled. "Me no Hinako! Me Bee!"

"Sure you are, baby. Now let's leave the nice men alone."

Bee huffed, but nodded. She wrapped her arms around Katsumi's neck in a quick, firm hug, before crawling back into her mother's arms. "Bye, Katsumi-nii!" She called as she was carried off.

Yoshitaka watched for a minute, then turned back around to look at Katsumi. Nothing about him had changed, though the older man wished the bubbly little girl would have reawakened something within him. He reached out and brushed back some of Katsumi's long, brown hair, tucking it behind one of his human ears.

_I'm going to help you, Katsumi_, he promised silently. _I'll do whatever it takes._

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It was dark by the time the plane landed. Most of the children had fallen asleep, but Katsumi remained awake. Yoshitaka remembered what Mei had mentioned about Katsumi not falling asleep when others were nearby. He was definitely tired, though. There was no denying it. He stumbled as he walked off the plane, and the dark circles under his eyes had become deeper. Eiji drove them all home. Yoshitaka sat in the back seat with Katsumi, trying to convince him to get some sleep, but only received the same blank stare in return.

They finally reached the house and walked inside. Yoshitaka ushered Katsumi into the living room while Eiji and Wakabayashi went to the kitchen to make tea. It took Yoshitaka a few minutes to get his lover to sit down, but he managed.

"You're safe now," he said quietly, pulling the other man into his arms. "I won't let anyone hurt you. Never again." He blinked back tears as he nuzzled the top of Katsumi's head. The velvety-soft cat ears brushed against his face as they moved, tickling his nose. As tired and upset as he was, Yoshitaka couldn't help but chuckle weakly.

"Yo-chan?" Eiji called from the kitchen.

"What is it?" he called back.

"We kinda need your help. Can you come here, please?"

The older Mimuro sighed. "Yeah, I'm coming." He gently stroked the top of Katsumi's head. "I'll be right back."

He walked into the kitchen, and immediately understood why Eiji need him. While Katsumi had been missing, Yoshitaka had barely cleaned, only doing so when it became absolutetly necessary. The kitchen was a disaster area. Boxes and plastic bags were strewn over ever surface. Dirty dishes were piled high in the sink. Wakabayashi was digging through one of the cabinets, while Eiji picked at the containers on the counter.

"I think your kitchen ate the tea," the younger Mimuro told him matter-of-factly.

"Yoshitaka scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Last time I saw it, it was on the table....I think."

Eiji made a noise in the back of his throat, then began sorting through the mountain of dishes and trash on the table. He finally managed to find the tea _and_ the teapot, and immediately got to work boiling the water. Once it was done, they managed to find a clean tray to carry out the teapot and the mismatched cups. Eiji lead the way back to the living room. He paused as he reached the doorway, before setting the tray down on the coffee table, chuckling. Yoshitaka glanced over at the couch, not even bothering to hide his smile. Katsumi was curled up on the couch, fast asleep at long last. He ears layed almost flat on his head, and his tail was tucked along the backs of his legs. His breathing was deep and even. Yoshitaka just watched him for a few minutes, his eyes soft, before walking back out of the room. He returned with a heavy wool blanket, which he draped over Katsumi's sleeping form. The younger man stirred, turned over, and went still again.

For the next half hour, the three other men drank tea and talked in whispers so as not to disturb their sleeping friend. Yoshitaka inquired after his company, something he hadn't cared about since the police had called off the search for Katsumi over two years ago. The company was still in top form; Eiji hadn't wanted to take over the company, but it had fluorished under his control. Wakabayashi admitted that he considered both of the brothers his rivals now.

After a while, when they had all started yawning, they agreed that it was time to bring the day to a close.

"I'll come by tomorrow to help you clean up, 'kay Yo-chan?" Eiji told him as he stacked the cups. "I don't think Katsumi-kun will enjoy living in such a mess."

Yoshitaka smiled softly. "No, I don't think he would."

Final goodbyes were said, and Yoshitaka shut the door behind his two companions. He went back to the living room to check on his lover, and found him still asleep. The older man contemplated picking Katsumi up and taking him upstairs. He abandoned that idea a second later, realizing that he didn't want to chance waking Katsumi up; he was too tired to even carry the tray back to the kitchen. As his eyelids began to grow heavy, he layed his head down on the couch, letting his forehead rest against Katsumi's back. The gentle sound of his lover's breathing soon lulled him to sleep.

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_Aw, sleepy little kitty-Katsumi-chan!! I wish I had some cat ears and a tail. I'd be making them twitch just for the hell of it. So, I recently became a ZoroxSanji fan (if you don't know who those people are, you should go read/watch _One Piece_. It's got pirates!!!! Plus, Luffy's big brother Ace is bangin'. I'd hit that in a heartbeat. Sanji too! XD_

_Anywhoo, please review!_


	5. Of Mornings and Cabinets

_**Return To Me**_

_I just picked up the fifth _Maximum Ride_ book at Walmart on Friday, and it is amazing! The fourth one was a little too focused on global warming, and you didn't really get to hear much else. This new one had a ton of new stuff in it. Plus, Max and Fang are finally working on their relationship. I won't reveal anything else, but you should definitely read it......go, NOW! Lol, just kidding. It is a good book, though, for both guys and girls._

_**Disclaimer**__: Still don't own them. Fang and Max would have been together in book one if it was up to me. And Yoshitaka wouldn't have been that cruel to Katsumi early on._

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**Chapter 5**

A sharp knock on the door dragged Yoshitaka out of his comfortably unconscious state. He opened his eyes and blinked sluggishly, looking around the room sleepily. There was another knock on the door, and Yoshitaka groaned as he stood up, and stumbled his way down the hall to answer it. He twisted the shiny metal knob and opened the door, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight that streamed in. Standing before him was Eiji and his wife, Helena. Eiji held a bucket filled with cleaning supplies, and Helena was carrying a bag of take-out boxes that smelled delicious.

"Good morning, Yo-chan!" Eiji greeted him cheerfully. "Hope you don't mind that Helena came along. I told her about the mess and we agreed that six hands are better than four. Plus, we brought food!"

His mind still fuzzy from sleep, Yoshitaka just nodded, stepping aside to let them in. On the way to the kitchen, Eiji peekd into the living room.

"Did you take Katsumi upstairs?"

Yoshitaka stopped dead in his tracks. "What?"

"He's not on the couch," Eiji said simply. "You didn't move him?"

Yoshitaka pushed past his younger brother, looking around the living room frantically for any sign of his lover. But Eiji was right.

Katsumi was gone.

The older Mimuro's breathing became fast and shallow. Ignoring his brother's question, he barreled up the stairs, checking every room and closet for the other man.

Suddenly, Helena's voice reached his ears. "He's in the kitchen, Mimuro-kun!"

Yoshitaka tripped over his own feet several times as he ran back down the stairs, making as much noise as a herd of horses. He slid on the smooth kitchen tiles as he tried to stop. As he looked around, he saw Eiji and Helena, but couldn't spot Katsumi.

"W-Where-?" he gasped, trying desperately to catch his breath.

Helena covered her mouth and giggled, while Eiji just bit his lip. "Look up!"

Yoshitaka looked up, and...

Stared.

Katsumi was still fast asleep, still curled up under the same blanket, but now, he was perched on top of the kitchen cabinets, a good eight feet from the floor. His arms were folded up under his chin. Yoshitaka blinked a few times, verifying that he was really seeing the strange sight in front of him. He pinched himself on the arm, wincing slightly as it stung his skin. He was definitely awake, and Katsumi was definitely sleeping on top of the cabinets.

"Dunno how he managed to get up there," Eiji said, tapping his chin thoughtfully, "but I guess he's a little more cat-like than we thought."

Yoshitaka shook his head, grabbed a chair from the table, and dragged it over to the counter. "I'm going to get him down before he falls off and-"

Right at that moment, Katsumi's eyes flickered open. He lifted his head up off his arms, feline ears twitching to life. They layed flat against his skull as he yawned, his mouth opening wide to reveal pointed teeth. When his eyes opened again, he looked from Eiji, to Helena, and finally to Yoshitaka. He blinked again, then cocked his head to one side, looking at the other man inquisitively.

Yoshitaka climbed all the way up on the chair and reached out towards his lover. "Katsumi, I want you to come to me, okay? I'm going to help you get down. Just _be careful_."

A quick flash of light flickered deep within Katsumi's eyes, and his expression changed a little more. With no warning, he launched himself off the cabinets and over Yoshitaka's head. Helena gasped as he plummeted, and-

Landed lightly on all fours, balancing perfectly on the balls of his feet and his fingertips.

There was a collective sigh of relief from everyone in the room.

Yoshitaka slowly climbed down from the chair. "Don't _do _that!" he exclaimed. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

He turned around and found Katsumi sitting on the floor, knees drawn up to his chest and arms wrapped around them. The blank look was back in place, though his eyes had a bit of light in them- more than they had the day before, at least. Yoshitaka knelt down beside him, hugging the younger man.

"You scared me, idiot," he mumbled softly, so only Katsumi would hear it. The older man knew he was trembling, and he didn't care.

Eiji cleared his throat. "Why don't we clear off the table first. Helena bought breakfast for everyone." He gestured towards his wife and the bag she still held.

Yoshitaka let out a shuddering breath, before opening his eyes again. "Sure."

He and Eiji moved the mess from the table to the already over-crowded counter, while Helena coaxed Katsumi into a chair. A few minutes and several broken plates later, the table was relatively clear. Helena passed out the food and chopsticks. For a while, Katsumi just stared at the food, tail twitching. He finally reached forward slowly, hesitantly. His hand hovered over the chopsticks, flinching like he expected them to bite him.

Eiji broke the awkward silence. "It's okay, Katsumi. It's safe." He picked up his own chopsticks and took a bite of his food. "Shee?" he mumbled around the mouthful of food.

Katsumi looked at the younger man, eyes narrowing slightly as they searched his face. He looked at the food, back at Eiji, and back at the food again. After a few more seconds, he picked up the chopsticks. He fumbled with them for a few more minutes, huffing softly when he dropped one. Finally, he put both of them back down, picked some of the food up with his fingers, and popped it into his mouth. Chewing slowly, he watched the others' reactions. After what seemed like hours, he swallowed. He was still for a few minutes, like he was waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, he lunged forward and began shoveling the food into his mouth as fast as he could. They all watched with a kind of fascinated horror as the food disappeared in a matter of minutes. Seeing Katsumi this frantic was completely foreign to them. Even before his kidnapping, he had never once acted like this. When Katsumi finished, he looked up again, meeting each person's eyes in turn. His own light brown irises had turned even brighter now that he gotten some nourishment. He looked at Yoshitaka last, and the older man smiled weakly in return.

"Guess you were hungry, huh?"

Katsumi lowered his eyes, shifted, and looked back up. His mouth opened, like he was going to say something, then closed again. He hugged his knees to his chest again, resting his chin on top of them.

Helena broke the silence this time. "We should probably finish eating," she said softly, picking at her own food with almost no enthusiasm.


End file.
